Image source, PA Media

Earlier this week the Scottish Conservatives accused ministers of "moral cowardice" after their calls for a statement on public sector workers' access to single-sex spaces were rejected at Holyrood.

The Tories called for the Scottish government to provide clarity on the issue amid an ongoing employment tribunal.

NHS Fife nurse Sandie Peggie is challenging the health board after she was suspended following a complaint about sharing a changing room with a transgender colleague.

Parliamentary business minister Jamie Hepburn cited a lack of time, short notice, and the live legal proceedings as the reasons why the government would not provide a statement to parliament.

Findlay says the Scottish Parliament does not want to talk about a case the rest of the country is talking about.

The Scottish Tory leader turns to the case of NHS Fife nurse Sandie Peggie and says the tribunal will continue later but there is no reason MSPs can't discuss the wider issues.

"Women's spaces must be for women and girls," he says.

Findlay asks if the FM agrees that every woman in Scotland should be entitled to this and to be able to say this without losing their job.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay goes straight to the controversial issue of the government’s position on single-sex spaces.

The Tories have previously called for the Scottish government to provide clarity on the issue amid an ongoing employment tribunal.

NHS Fife nurse Sandie Peggie is challenging the health board after she was suspended following a complaint about sharing a changing room with a transgender colleague.

This week's First Minister's Questions is about to get under way at Holyrood, with Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay looking to set the tone with his first question to John Swinney.

You can follow all the live coverage and analysis with us here, and by clicking the Watch Live icon at the top of this page.

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

It’s not hard to guess what’s going to come up at First Minister’s Questions today.

The Conservatives have been fighting all week to have questions asked in the chamber about the government’s position on single-sex spaces.

It’s based on an employment tribunal involving NHS Fife, but ministers will of course refuse to be drawn on an ongoing case.

So Russell Findlay will likely focus on the broader issue.

Frankly, the substance of the questions almost doesn’t matter – what the Tory leader wants is to make the first minister squirm. It’s hard to escape the impression that John Swinney would really rather not talk about this stuff, and the Tories will be happy to put him on the spot.

Labour, meanwhile, have continued to pivot their position on gender matters – drifting further and further away from their previous support for reforms – and will likely be just as keen as Mr Swinney to talk about other matters.

Like the SNP, Labour are hoping to campaign on things like the NHS ahead of the next election – and given Anas Sarwar made a speech on Wednesday about his party’s pledges to improve access to GP services, it’s not hard to guess where his questions will go either.

This week has seen the remergence of the gender row in Scottish politics.

On Tuesday, the Scottish Conservatives accused ministers of "moral cowardice" after their calls for a statement on public sector workers' access to single-sex spaces were rejected at Holyrood.

There's every chance this issue will be raised at FMQs. Here's a helpful guide to the issues around the UK's gender laws from our colleague Phil Sim.

Meanwhile, local authorities representing about two million Scots are set to confirm their biggest council tax increases in 20 years.

With a nationwide freeze coming to an end, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife, Scottish Borders and North Lanarkshire councils are setting their new rates.

The early release of inmates from Scotland's prisons began in an effort to tackle overcrowding.

John Swinney committed £25m to establish a "just transition" fund for the Grangemouth oil refinery site.

And a review of a controversial school sex survey which was first requested almost three years ago is to be published in the next month.

Image source, Getty Images

Good morning and welcome to today's live coverage of First Minister's Questions at Holyrood.

John Swinney will face his weekly grilling from opposition party leaders and backbench MSPs from about 12:00.

As ever, we'll bring you previews, live coverage and analysis throughout.

You can also follow events here with us by clicking Watch Live at the top of this page from just before midday.